The City of New York

A stylized, branded landscape of Manhattan from the late 1870s.

This striking 1879 panoramic view of Manhattan offers a compelling glimpse into the visual culture of Gilded Age New York. Distributed as a complimentary guide by the prominent clothiers Rogers Peet & Co., the map utilizes a dramatic aerial perspective to convey the city as a limitless metropolis, stretching beyond the (somewhat ambiguous) horizon.

The foreground is dominated by an aspirational rendering of the Brooklyn Bridge. Though the structure would not open for another four years (the towers had been finished by 1879), it is depicted here as a completed icon of modern engineering. Interestingly, the artist shows a shared transit deck rather than the distinctive raised pedestrian promenade of the final design, hinting that the image was likely drafted from pre-construction engineering sketches.

Twenty-four different locations of interest are identified using an unconventional system. Among the iconic landmarks of Battery Park, Bellevue Hospital, Madison Square, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral can be found Rogers, Peet & Co. and Martin’s Stores, in nearby Brooklyn. In case one struggles to interpret the exact location of the former, a large wall sign points the way. Further creative advertising can be found in the crowded waters of the New York Harbor, where a small sailing vessel prominently features the firm’s information.

The view was designed by J.W. Williams and copyrighted in 1879 by Root & Tinker. Printed using Mathers Inks – clearly effective, given its vibrancy after nearly 150 years. Printed text on the verso provides a ‘Strangers’ Guide to New York’, along with an illustrated view of the Rogers, Peet, & Co. flagship at 487 Broadway (still standing today).